Aokigahara, a forest in Japan formed from the lava of the eruption of Mount Fuji, is notoriously dubbed the ‘suicide forest.’ The 30 square kilometre forest has, since decades, had a dark reputation – it has seen many visits from people who choose to take away their lives. Unfortunately, it is considered a place that has one of the highest suicide rates in the world.
To take off this morbid reputation, Kyochi Watanabe, a 60-year-old musician plays loud music from his hut, which is at the end of the forest. Sometimes, he also plays his guitar. He believes that the music can soothe people, give them hope, and deter them from taking such a drastic step. He himself has seen people turn away from the forest after listening to the music.
Isn’t this a great service to humankind? What do you think?
